This invention relates generally to the switching and transmission of broadband communication channels. The invention is more specifically directed to dial-up switching of such channels upon end user demand and the transmission of such channels through an interoffice communication network.
Transmission of high bandwidth signals between different locations has been typically accomplished utilizing direct point-to-point broadband communication channels. Dedicated (non-switched) broadband communication channels are used to carry the high bandwidth signals. Examples of such applications include cable television and high speed data transmission between computers.
Point-to-point broadband communication channels have several disadvantages. Since each communication station within such a network requires a dedicated channel, it is expensive to reconfigure or modify the network especially when a user's terminal is relocated to a site not already linked to the network. Such networks suffer from a lack of flexibility and are not able to provide those users with only an occasional need of a broadband channel with a cost effective solution.
Digital access and cross-connect systems (DCS) provide a known capability for interconnecting high bandwidth transmission facilities such as DS1 and DS3 transmission links. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,062 a plurality of DCS are connected to each other to provide communication links between broadband service users. In that system, local exchanges in response to a customer request control associated DCS to connect broadband terminals over broadband channels directly coupling the DCS.
There exists a need for a flexible broadband communication facility which permits dial-up broadband channels to be handled by the public switched telephone network (PSTN).